Artificial joint prostheses are widely used today, restoring mobility to patients affected by a variety of conditions, particularly arthritis. The satisfactory performance of these devices can be affected not only by the design of the component itself, but also by the final placement and geometry of the implanted component, and the long-term fixation of the device. Improper placement or positioning of the device, an improper fit to the patient's anatomy, or an inadequate reconstruction of the bony anatomy can adversely affect the goal of satisfactorily restoring the clinical bio-mechanics and function of the joint.
Joint arthroplasty sometimes requires reconstruction of the patient's bony anatomy due to pre-existing anatomical defects and bone loss. This bone loss may be due to injury, previous reconstructive surgery, or other preexisting conditions. Successful joint arthroplasty, for example, in the knee, sometimes requires restoration of the bone anatomy through the use of implant devices that substitute for significant portions of the bones in the joint, for example, the proximal tibia. Due to the large variation in potential conditions that may be encountered during surgical reconstruction, one approach has been to design a joint replacement system with modular components that augment the surface replacement components to restore the natural alignment and limb length, while also providing the mechanical strength and stability needed for joint function.